Utility is usually a strong selling point for larger vehicles. If you’re going to settle for a truck with terrible mileage, it better have more storage space than a cruiseliner’s cargo hold. Blending the seating capacity of a traditional SUV with the open-box versatility of a pickup is Cadillac’s Escalade EXT. It’s essentially a gilded version of the more pedestrian Chevrolet Avalanche, and it’s just as dead. This Caddy was powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that delivered 403 HP and 417 LB-FT of torque. Additionally it was available with either rear- or all-wheel drive, but even with extra traction it couldn’t pull itself out of the grave.
In addition to the EXT model, the Escalade hybrid is finished as well. This full-size luxury SUV was designed to maximize fuel economy and it was appreciably more efficient than the standard model. Its drivetrain centered on a 6.0-liter V8 engine that put out 332 HP and 367 LB-FT of torque. With rear- or all-wheel drive the electrified ‘Scalade stickered at 20 miles per gallon city and 23 on the open road. That’s A LOT better than the 15 MPG average a standard AWD version could muster.
